The new FUFA Airtel female player of the year Juliet Nalukenge has no doubt experienced 2019 as the best year ever in her career.
The 17-year old, who captained Uganda to the inaugural Cecafa U17 title on Tuesday, was last Saturday crowned the best 2019 women football player at the Speke resort, Munyonyo – a feat that came with a brand new Subaru and Shs1m cash prize.
And in a bid to encourage her teammates and the rest of the girl footballers, FUFA organized a display of Nalukenge award and car during the just concluded inaugural Cecafa U17 championship at the FUFA technical center, Njeru.
Led by inaugural award winner Sandra Nabweteme, who is in the country for a holiday from the US where she is playing on a study bursary, the short ceremony took place shortly after the 1-1 draw against Tanzania.
Nalukenge helped Kawempe Muslim to win both the national and East Africa Secondary Schools’ championship, captained Uganda to winning the COSAFA U17 Championship where she emerged as the tournament top scorer with 18 goals. She was Uganda’s top scorer (5 goals) at the CECAFA Women’s Challenge Cup.
The Kawempe Muslim student and a product of the Airtel Rising Stars tournament had scored 53 goals for school, club and country in 2019 by the time of nomination. She beat former winner Hasfah Nassuna, who helped UCU Lady Cardinals win the 2018/19 FUFA Women Elite League as the MVP and top scorer with 16 goals.
Nassuna also scored three goals as Uganda finished third at the CECAFA Women’s Challenge Cup. Fauzia Najjemba, who was joint top scorer in the FUFA Women Elite League (2018/19) with 14 goals same as Nassuna, top scorer at the 2019 National Secondary Schools’ Championship in Mbale with 14 goals, top scorer at the East Africa Secondary Schools’ Championship in Tanzania, with 10 goals was the other contender.
The Kampala Queens forward Captained Mukono High School to FUFA Independence Cup victory –a tournament where she emerged top scorer with 4 goals.
Fauzia was also integral part of the Uganda U17 Girls’ national team that won the COSAFA U17 Championship in Mauritius where scored 12 goals, five behind top scorer and teammate Juliet Nalukenge. She also scored twice for Uganda in CECAFA Women’s Challenge Cup in Tanzania.
